ScienceDaily Technology Headlines
for Wednesday, June 9, 2010
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Working toward the next battery breakthrough: Scientist brings fresh perspective to the nation's electrical grid (June 9, 2010) -- If battery-making is an art, then University at Buffalo scientist Esther Takeuchi is among its most prolific masters, with more than 140 US patents, all in energy storage. Takeuchi developed the battery that made possible the first implantable cardiac defibrillators, a feat that was recognized last fall with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Obama. Millions of heart patients worldwide have benefited from the implantable cardiac defibrillators powered by Takeuchi's silver vanadium oxide battery. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she is developing new cathode materials for improved implantable cardiac defibrillator batteries. ... > full story
Applying tomographics to the quantum world (June 9, 2010) -- Scientists in Spain have demonstrated the validity of tomographic representation of quantum states, which can help quantum technologies transmit information more safely and efficiently. ... > full story
Will the new World Cup soccer ball bend? (June 8, 2010) -- Physics experts believe the new ball created for the 2010 World Cup, called the Jabulani, will play "harder and faster," bending more unpredictably than its predecessor. ... > full story
Radioactive optical imaging and 'quantum dot' nano-imaging at the forefront of molecular medicine (June 8, 2010) -- Researchers have presented the results of a multidisciplinary study involving the capture of radiation luminescence and radioactive-excited nanoparticles to help detect subtle signs of disease. Currently, nuclear medicine agents and imaging technology image the behavior of particles at the cellular, molecular and atomic levels, but radioactive materials also emit barely visible light that can be detected with highly sensitive optical imaging technology. This discovery could lead to new, state-of-the-art imaging techniques. ... > full story
Polymer-based filter successfully cleans water, recovers oil in Gulf of Mexico test (June 8, 2010) -- In response to the massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, an engineering professor has developed a technique for separating oil from water via a cotton filter coated in a chemical polymer that blocks oil while allowing water to pass through. The researcher reports that the filter was successfully tested off the coast of Louisiana and shown to simultaneously clean water and preserve the oil. ... > full story
No place to hide: New 360-degree video surveillance system uses image stitching technology that is perfectly detailed edge to edge (June 8, 2010) -- The US Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate new Imaging System for Immersive Surveillance is as detailed as 50 full-HDTV movies playing at once, with optical detail to spare. ... > full story
Chemists report promising advance in fuel-cell technology (June 8, 2010) -- Chemists have come up with a promising advance in fuel-cell technology. The team has demonstrated that a nanoparticle with a palladium core and an iron-platinum shell outperforms commercially available pure-platinum catalysts and lasts longer. The finding could move fuel cells a step closer to reality. ... > full story
New yeast can ferment more sugar, make more cellulosic ethanol (June 8, 2010) -- Scientists have improved a strain of yeast that can produce more biofuel from cellulosic plant material by fermenting all five types of the plant's sugars. ... > full story
Gulf oil spill could widen, worsen 'dead zone' (June 8, 2010) -- While an out-of-control gusher deep in the Gulf of Mexico fouls beaches and chokes marshland habitat, another threat could be growing below the oil-slicked surface. The nation's worst oil spill could worsen and expand the oxygen-starved region of the Gulf labeled "the dead zone" for its inhospitality to marine life, suggest scientists. ... > full story
'Psychedelic' maize may help increase crop and biofuel yields (June 8, 2010) -- Scientists have identified new genes in maize which promote carbohydrate export from leaves. These genes are called psychedelic because of the yellow and green streaks they cause in the plant's leaves. Manipulating these genes may increase crop yields and the amount of biofuel that can be derived from each plant. ... > full story
Cyclotrons could alleviate medical isotope shortage (June 8, 2010) -- The most widely used medical radioisotope, Technetium-99m (Tc-99m), is essential for an estimated 70,000 medical imaging procedures that take place daily around the world. Aging reactors, production intermittencies and threats of permanent reactor closures have researchers striving to develop alternative methods of supply. In a comparative study, researchers show that medical cyclotrons could be capable of producing this medical isotope. ... > full story
Earth and Moon formed later than previously thought, new research suggests (June 7, 2010) -- Astronomers have theorized that the planet Earth and the Moon were created as the result of a giant collision between two planets the size of Mars and Venus. Until now, the collision was thought to have happened when the solar system was 30 million years old, or approximately 4,537 million years ago. But new research shows that Earth and the Moon must have formed much later -- perhaps up to 150 million years after the formation of the solar system. ... > full story
New 'microbead' radiotherapy more effective with molecular imaging (June 7, 2010) -- Research may change the way that a novel form of radiotherapy is set up and tested prior to treatment. This technique, known as radiomicrosphere therapy, involves the injection of tiny highly radioactive beads that "nestle up" with cancerous tumors and destroy them with precision. ... > full story
NASA rover finds clue to Mars' past and environment for life (June 7, 2010) -- Rocks examined by NASA's Spirit Mars Rover hold evidence of a wet, non-acidic ancient environment that may have been favorable for life. Confirming this mineral clue took four years of analysis by several scientists. ... > full story
Life on Titan? New clues to what's consuming hydrogen, acetylene on Saturn's moon (June 7, 2010) -- Two new papers based on data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft scrutinize the complex chemical activity on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. While non-biological chemistry offers one possible explanation, some scientists believe these chemical signatures bolster the argument for a primitive, exotic form of life or precursor to life on Titan's surface. According to one theory put forth by astrobiologists, the signatures fulfill two important conditions necessary for a hypothesized "methane-based life." ... > full story
Untangling the mystery of knotted flex: Mass experiment to investigate one of the banes of everyday life (June 7, 2010) -- A UK scientist believes his "Loop Conjecture" theory can prevent knots in everything from simple flex through to mountain and sailing ropes and potentially DNA structure. ... > full story
New technique turns proteins into glass: Could lead to new ways to deliver medication (June 7, 2010) -- Researchers have devised a method to dry and preserve proteins in a glassified form that seems to retain the molecules' properties as workhorses of biology. ... > full story
Next generation CT scanner views whole organs in a heartbeat (June 7, 2010) -- A next generation CT scanner allows doctors to image an entire organ in less than a second or track blood flow through the brain or to a tumor -- all with less radiation exposure to patients. ... > full story
Sowing seeds with new agricultural carbon accounting tool (June 7, 2010) -- Carbon dioxide emissions from agricultural activity in the United States can now be tracked with unprecedented resolution, thanks to a recently developed carbon accounting tool. ... > full story
Hold the salt: Engineers develop revolutionary new desalination membrane (June 7, 2010) -- Researchers have unveiled a new class of reverse-osmosis membranes for desalination that resist the clogging which typically occurs when seawater, brackish water and waste water are purified. The highly permeable, surface-structured membrane can easily be incorporated into today's commercial production system, the researchers say, and could help to significantly reduce desalination operating costs. ... > full story
Silver nanoparticles mitigate the cell damage caused by ethanol, study suggests (June 7, 2010) -- In a new study, researchers in Spain describe how nanoparticles formed by very small numbers of silver atoms can protect against the cell damage caused by ethanol. ... > full story
New approach to finding and removing defects in graphene (June 7, 2010) -- Scientists have pinpointed the noncarbon atoms that create defects when graphene is produced through a technique called graphene-oxide reduction. The researchers have also proposed how to make that technique more efficient by precisely applying hydrogen -- rather than heat -- to remove the impurities. ... > full story
Robots big and small showcase their skills (June 6, 2010) -- Two robotics events were designed to prove the viability of advanced technologies for robotic automation of manufacturing and microrobotics. ... > full story
Scientists break barrier to creating potential therapeutic molecules (June 6, 2010) -- Scientists have created a novel technique that for the first time will allow the efficient production of a molecular structure that is common to a vast array of natural molecules. This advance provides a means to explore the potential of this molecular substructure in the search for new therapies. ... > full story
New antenna to aid rural emergency workers developed (June 6, 2010) -- To overcome the challenges of rural communication, engineers have developed a sturdy lightweight antenna that provides a strong, clear, reliable channel even while moving. ... > full story
Yangtze River’s ancient origins revealed (June 6, 2010) -- The Yangtze River began to cut the Three Gorges area around 45 million years ago, making it much older than previously believed, according to new evidence from minerals. ... > full story
Could life survive on Mars? Yes, expert says (June 5, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that methane-eating bacteria survive in a highly unique spring located on Axel Heiberg Island in Canada's extreme North. Microbiologists explain that the Lost Hammer spring supports microbial life, that the spring is similar to possible past or present springs on Mars, and that therefore they too could support life. ... > full story
Video game research project to help blind children exercise (June 5, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a motion-sensing-based tennis and bowling "exergame" that will help the visually impaired, especially children become more physically active. ... > full story
An extra driver behind the wheel (June 5, 2010) -- When the steering wheel starts vibrating strongly, your car is too close to the edge of the road. WayPilot, a new Norwegian product, helps to keep it where it should be in the driving lane. ... > full story
Biomechanics of information: Going more miles per gallon with your brain (June 5, 2010) -- The hunting strategy of a slender fish from the Amazon is giving researchers more insight into how to balance the metabolic cost of information with the metabolic cost of moving around to get that information. ... > full story
Outcrop of long-sought rare rock on Mars found (June 4, 2010) -- A mineral-scouting instrument has found an outcrop of rock rich in carbonate minerals in the Columbia Hills of Gusev Crater on Mars. ... > full story
Electric fields make ceramic production quicker, cheaper, better (June 4, 2010) -- Researchers have found that applying a small electric field results in faster formation of ceramic products during manufacture at lower temperatures, and enhances the strength of the ceramic itself. ... > full story
Early Earth haze likely provided ultraviolet shield for planet (June 4, 2010) -- A thick organic haze that enshrouded early Earth several billion years ago may have been similar to the haze now hovering above Saturn's largest moon, Titan, and would have protected primordial life on the planet from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. ... > full story
Soccer-playing robots get creative with physics-based planning (June 4, 2010) -- Robot soccer players are warming up to compete in this month's RoboCup 2010 world championship in Singapore. A new algorithm will help newly created robots to predict the ball's behavior based on physics principles. ... > full story
Students develop device to help blind maneuver (June 4, 2010) -- The radar system incorporates a computer, two video cameras and a scanning light source to warn the blind of obstacles with audible alerts. The system detects obstacles -- even those overhead -- by scanning the depth of its surroundings, taken from two different angles -- similar to that of the human eye. ... > full story
Online games new marketing tool for unhealthy foods (June 4, 2010) -- Public health researchers have found that children, who are already saturated with television messages about unhealthy food choices, are the targets of a new medium used to sell high-fat, high-sugar foods: advergames. ... > full story
First paper 'dipstick' test for determining blood type (June 3, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting development of the first "dipstick" test for instantly determining a person's blood type at a cost of just a few pennies. The test involves placing a drop of blood on a specially treated paper strip. ... > full story
On a roll: Designing the next rover to explore Mars (June 3, 2010) -- The concept of a wind-powered vehicle that can be used to explore the surface of Mars -- a "tumbleweed rover" -- has been around for more than 10 years, but there has been no consensus on exactly what that vehicle should look like. Now researchers have developed a computer model that allows engineers to test the attributes of different vehicle designs before creating costly prototypes for testing in real-world conditions. ... > full story
Astronaut's eye view: Mars Express orbiting the Red Planet (June 3, 2010) -- A new video shows what future astronauts would see from their cockpit: Mars turning below as they sweep around the Red Planet. Last month, ESA's Mars Express snapped images every minute to create a unique video that loops through a complete orbit of Earth's neighbor. ... > full story
Nanosponge drug delivery system more effective than direct injection (June 3, 2010) -- When loaded with an anticancer drug, a delivery system based on a novel material called nanosponge is three to five times more effective at reducing tumor growth than direct injection. ... > full story
Going underground to monitor carbon dioxide (June 3, 2010) -- A technique originally, applied to monitor the flow of contaminants into shallow groundwater supplies, has been repurposed to monitor carbon dioxide pumped deep underground for storage. ... > full story
Scientists create artificial mini 'black hole' (June 3, 2010) -- Chinese researchers have successfully built an electromagnetic absorbing device for microwave frequencies. The device, made of a thin cylinder comprising 60 concentric rings of metamaterials, is capable of absorbing microwave radiation, and has been compared to an astrophysical black hole (which, in space, soaks up matter and light). ... > full story
A quick fix for queues (June 3, 2010) -- Queuing, standing in line ... it's what we do well, but complain about the most. Thankfully, science is coming to the rescue as researchers in Taiwan have devised a formula that could revolutionize restaurants, post offices, customer service desks, and theater ticket sales everywhere. ... > full story
Structure of immune molecule that counteracts HIV strains determined (June 3, 2010) -- In findings that contribute to efforts to design an AIDS vaccine, a team of scientists has determined the structure of an immune system antibody molecule that effectively acts against most strains of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS. ... > full story
Nanoparticle PSA test predicts if prostate cancer will return: Ultrasensitive test gives first accurate answer after prostate cancer surgery (June 3, 2010) -- Conventional PSA tests aren't sensitive enough to show if men are cured after having a cancerous prostate gland removed. New research shows an ultrasensitive PSA test using nanoparticle-based technology may be able to definitively predict after surgery if the cancer is cured or if it will recur. The new test is 300 times more sensitive than currently available and may pick up cancer recurrence at a much earlier stage. ... > full story
Physicists reveal how to cope with 'frustration': Quantum simulation can be scaled to large systems (June 3, 2010) -- "Frustrated" systems -- those in which the interactions among the components have no single minimum-energy state -- are of great interest for problems from neural networks and protein folding to social structures and magnetism. But they have been difficult to model. Now a team of physicists has created a scalable quantum-mechanical model. ... > full story
Using nature's design principles to create specialized nanofabrics (June 3, 2010) -- Bioengineers have developed a new technology based on nature's design principles for self assembly and self organization. The technology can be used to regenerate heart and other tissues and to make nanometer-thick fabrics that are strong and elastic. The key breakthrough came in the development of a matrix that can assemble itself through interaction with a thermosensitive surface. The protein composition of that matrix can be customized to generate specific properties. ... > full story
First images of heavy electrons in action: Characteristics of 'hidden order' in unusual uranium compound (June 3, 2010) -- Using a microscope designed to image the arrangement and interactions of electrons in crystals, scientists have captured the first images of electrons that appear to take on extraordinary mass under certain extreme conditions. The technique reveals the origin of an unusual electronic phase transition in one particular material, and opens the door to further explorations of the properties and functions of so-called heavy fermions. ... > full story
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